Modulating attachment for automatic musical instruments.



PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

T. DANQUARD. MODULATING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

YDZLiesses:

fiat/e m (an Imms Jam in 7 #(Zomys Z A No. 871,788. PATENTED NOV; 26. 1907.

T. DANQUARD. MODULATING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

- UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DANQUARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AUTOPIANO COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

- MODULATING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nov. 26, 1907.

Application filed July 24.1905. Serial No. 270835.

stri )s of perforated paper. The especial object of this invention is to provide sim lo and eflicient means for ac centing the esired individual notes of a musical composition so as to produce modulated or accented effects.

In a prior patent granted to me May 30, 1905, No. 791,441, I have shown and claimed an improvement in automatic musical instruments by means of which I have been able to produce arpeggio or broken chord effeots by skewing the tracker-board so that thesame will stand at an oblique angle to the line of travel of the music sheet.

The especial object of my present invention is to utilize the skew attachment of the tracker-board for producing an accented effect for any desired notes of a musical composition.

In an automatic musical instrument constructed according to this invention, when the tracker-board occupies its normal position the striking devices of the instrument will be controlled in the same manner which is usual in instruments of this class.

The tracker-board is provided with one additional channel, and the music sheet has perforations which cooperate with the additional channel in such way as to permit the scanning or loud striking of any one note of a desired chord which is played with broken or arpcggio effect.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a lan view showing the traclicr-hoard and winding rolls cooperating therewith. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 2 showing the tracker-l)oard in ti mm] or skew position. Fig. 3 is a simi ar view showing the trarker-boanl in the normal position occupied by it during ordinary playing. Fig. 4 is a si in i larview showing a modified form of construction in which the tracker-board is made of iv separate pieces. -Fig. 5 is a sectional view iilustratmg the connections controlled by the additional perforation of the trackerboard, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view showing the tracker-board and music sheet lined or ruled to show the time of action of the marginal perforation so as to control any desired note of a chord.

As shown more particularly in the first sheet of drawings, 10 designates the trackerboard which is provided with the usual tracker-board channels 11 and with a single track: -board channel 12 for securing accented effects. Cooperating with the tracker-board is a music sheet 13 which is unwound from a music roll 14 and wound up on the winding-roll 15. The music-roll 14 and winding roll 15 are controlledby any of the ordinary driving connections-including a chain 16 for winding and rewinding the. music-sheet.

The tracker-board, as in my previous patent before referred to, is mounted so that it can be set at an oblique angle with respect to the path of travel of .the music sheet. the present instance, the tracker-board as shown, is pivoted on the screw 18 in a lug 17 carried by the frame. At its opposite end the tracker-board 10 is mounted to swing on a lug 19-and is held in normal position bya spring 20. Cooperating with the trackerboard 10 is a cam 21 having a handle by means of which the cam can be turned to throw the tracker-board back obliquely or in skew position. I

The parts as thus far described may be substantially the same as shown in my previous patent before referred to except that the tracker-board is provided with the channel 12 in addition to the ordinary note channels 11.

WVhen the entire tracker-board is bodily movable and is connected to the action by rubber tubes, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the tracker-board channel 12 may have a nipple 24 which is normally seated against a valve 25 carried by an adjusting screw 27 threaded into a T-sha ed head of a pipe or channel 28, and I pre er to employ such an arrangement as this so that when the trackerboard is in normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, the connection between the tracker-board channel 12 and pi e 28 will be cut oil, but when the tracker- )oard is shifted, the as sage will be opened between the tramer board channel 12 and the channel 28. In some cases, for example, when lead or other .may be 'made'intwo separate non-flexible pipes are used, the tracker-board s e i shown in Fig; 4, and when the trac er-board .is-in normal position the tracker-board e'han-f nel" 1 2 will normally stand outof hne with the channel orlpassage.;-28.'

Th devices controlled from the pi e or passage 28 are illustratedmost cleary in or pipe 28: is connected to operate a primary pneumatic.30. Above the primary. pneu- 'inatic 30 .'isa jcham'berconnected by apipe parts 'will standlnorma lyyinthe 31 to the -n'iain wind chamber or,.bellows.. The primary; pneumatic is provided, with the ordinary small leak assage so that the position shown in -Fig ...5; When atmospheric pressure. is admitted through the pipe. 28 the valve-stem v of the "prin'iary pneui'natic 30 will :beiraised, closing tlie'valve'32 and .opening :the valve 33"." ;This WiILconnect the passage 34 of the 'operating'pneuniatic 35 with the suction. Connected with the movable leaf of the-pneumatic. 35 is a valve-stem which carriesa valve 36 -\vliich 'norinally closes thi'iconnection between the maii ind chest 37 and the main" wind-"trunkfor pipe 38 which leads to the action..i: v 1" Whcn-- the instrumentis to be layed to produce usual-or llOIl-tW-(Blltlil' li ects', the suction from the main wind chamber" 37 to ..thc iiiain-wind pipeBS- controlled by a valvewhieh operated by the usual .regu lating pneumatic39 to equalize or diminish devices are operated.

the air pressure underwhieh the'striki'ng \Vhen, llOWOX'GlytllQ valve 36 controlling the direct :connectionis open, aiiy' desired air pressure iiiay'act directly upon the striking devices to sound notes with any desired striking force or loud 's uppli -l ll'clltltl perforations enable the in- SLI'UlHGIllZ to produceaccented or modulated ell-vets, is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. As shown in this llgiile, the music-sheetmay be provided with a number of ei'forations l Pl'OllGSPOIHllflfl to the notes 0 a chord or phrase of music. When the tracker-board is in normal position, theiiotes correspond-.

board ling connections before described will operate to open the direct wind-way connection thus permitting the accenting of an individual note or any number of notes which are struck, while the supplemental channel of the tracker-board remains open. In the particular music sheet'illustrated in Fig 6,"it: will be noted that the last ortreble note of the chord is the one whichwill be played with" I an accented 'or-loud striking effect.-

I aim-aware that numerous changes maybe made in applying my invention to different typeset automatic musical instruments, and t at many variations may be made in the de-' vices which are controlled from the supplemental or accenting channel ofthc trackers I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to.

shown and described, but I What Idoclaim anddesire to-secure by Letters Patent 'of the United States is:.

the "particular construction I have herein 1. In an automaticmusical instrument, 3

thecombination of a movable tracker having a series of channels and a supplemental channel, i'iieans for moving the tracker from normal position, and -iiieans whereby the su'pplemental channel is normally closed, but is opened when the tracker is moved from nora injal position. v v

2. 'In an automatic "musical instrument,- the combination of a tracker having a series 'of channels and a-supplemcntal channel,

means for iiiovnigthe tracker from normal positionfan'd a valvewhich'isclosed when the trackcris in normal positionfor cutting oil" the supplemental channel;

. .3. lnfan auton'iatic n'iusic-al instrument,- the combination with the wind-chest, mainwind-trunk, anda'ction of a tracker hav ng a s'erie's'of channels and a supplemental channel,

v1 05 means for closing the supplemental channel when the tracker is In normal position, a regulating device controlled from the supplemental channel and coin rising a primary pneumatic, val'ves' operab e by the primary pneumatic, an o ierating pneuii'iaticcontrolled by said valves, and a shut-oil valve controlled from said operating pneumatic and normally cutting oil direct wind connect-lQll between the. wind chest-and the main wind trunk leading to the'action, but which is-opened to provide direct-wind connection for striking desired accented notes.

4. In an automatic musical nstrument, the combination of a tracker having a ser es .of channels skewed relatively to the line of travel of the music sheet, and having a supplemental channel with regulating deviccs controlled from the supplemental channo] to admit direct pressure 1' or striking notes which it is desired to accent.

5. In an automatic musical instrument,

the combination of a tracker having a series of channels skewed relatively to the line of travel of the music sheet, and having a supplemental channel, a primary neumatic controlled from the supplementa channel, and an operating pneumatic controlled from the primary pneumatic to open a direct windway GOIlnGClJlOILfOI striking notes which it isdesired to accent.

6. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a tracker having trackerboar 'Jlln-Ill'lGlS normally at right angles to the line of travel of the music-sheet and a supplemental channel, means for skewing the tracker, and means for closing thesupplemental tracker-board channel except when the tracker-board is in skewed position. i

7. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a tracker having trackerboard channels normally at right angles with the line of travel of the music sheet and having a supplemental tracker-board channel, means for skewing the tracker, and a normally closed valve cutting oil the sup lemental tracker-board channel except w on the tracker occupies it's skewed position.

8. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a trackerhaving a line of a series of channels normally at right angles to the line of travel of the music sheet and having a sup lemental tracker-board channel, means or closing the sup lemental channel except when the trackeroard ocdirect wind connection for striking desired accented notes.

9. In a musical instrun'ient, the combination with the wind-chest, main wind-trunk, aml-uction of a tracker having a series of channels and a supplemental channel, means for closing the supplemental channel, a regulating device controlled from the supplemental ehannel, an o )erating pneumatic controlled by said regulating device, and a ShutrOfi valve controlled from said 0 rating pneumatic and normally cutting o the direct connection between the wind chest and the main wind trunk leading to the action but which is opened to provide direct wind connection for striking desired accented notes.

10. In a musical instrument, the combination of a movable tracker having a series of 1. channels and a supplemental channel, an

regulating device controlled from the supplemental channel to admit direct pressure for striking notes which it is desired to accent.

12. A musical instrument having means for modifying notes, and a tracker having a series of channels and a supplemental channel adapted to be located in rear of the series of channels relative to the movement of the note sheet and connected with the modifyin means for controlling the operation thereo 13. A musical instrument having 3 tracker provided with a series of channels a d a' sup-' plemental channel adapted to be located 1n rear'of the series of channels relative to the movement of the note sheet, and having connections for modifying the sounding of notes whereby the modlfying connections will be operated before the note to be modified is sounded.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS DANQUARD,

Witnesses: i I

PniLIP W. SOUTHGATE, WALTER L. BARTLETT.

ned when the tracker is moved to a certam position, and a 

